What are the responsibilities and job description for the Digital & Design Internship Spring 2026 position at Foundation for Defense of Democracies?
Internship Opportunities
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a nonpartisan policy institute dedicated exclusively to promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that threaten democracy. The organization was founded shortly after 9/11 by a group of visionary philanthropists and policymakers to engage in the worldwide war of ideas and to support the defense of democratic societies under assault by terrorism and militant Islamism. FDD combines policy research, investigative journalism, strategic communications, and democracy and counterterrorism education.
About FDD's Internship Program
Based in downtown Washington, D.C., the Foundation for Defense of Democracies has a number of internship opportunities available. All FDD interns will have the opportunity to participate in a twice-monthly speaker series, which brings high-level DC officials and senior staff members to engage with interns in an intimate setting. FDD interns will be encouraged to build on their academic skills by working closely with senior staff. FDD is also happy to assist students who wish to earn academic credit for this internship. All internships are unpaid.
*FDD will move forward with both hybrid and remote internship options for the spring 2026 semester.*
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. It is recommended that interested candidates submit applications early. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The Digital & Design Team
The Digital & Design Team is seeking a full-time or part-time intern to assist with digital content, graphic design, and social media. The selected candidate will support the design of FDD-branded materials across digital/print platforms. This includes editing videos, creating graphics, and helping prepare multimedia content for online distribution. Previous knowledge and skills in Adobe Premiere, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, and Canva are preferred. An interest or background in international affairs is also a plus.
Eligibility
- Must have at least a 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
- Should have a relevant course of study and have completed coursework in any of the following fields: Digital Design, Marketing, Branding, International Relations, Security Studies, History, Communications, Journalism, International Economics, Political Science, Computer Science, and/or a relevant STEM field of study.
- Interns should have knowledge of Microsoft Office programs.
- Must be able to commit to a minimum of 22 hours per week, remote or in-office.
- Must be eligible to work in the United States.
Application Materials Required
- Resume/CV
- Cover letter (Please review our website and include which FDD projects and issue areas resonate with you and why. Also indicate where you found this internship and your availability for the semester.)
- Examples of your previous work in graphic design or social media
- Unofficial transcript copy
- Please specify the department(s) for which you would like to be considered (feel free to indicate preferences) in your cover letter. While you may use the same cover letter for multiple positions, please submit a separate application for each position of interest.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.